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Columbia Holds On for Victory over Lafayette

from press release

EASTON, Pa. -- The Columbia lacrosse led at the
half and held on for a 13-11 road victory over Lafayette on
Wednesday, April 13. Eight different Lions scored for Columbia,
while Karlee Blank made 14 saves in goal.

For the first time since the first game of the season, it was
Columbia that struck first on a goal by Camille Richardson on a
feed from Taylor Gattinella. The goal sparked a four-goal run
as the Lions built a 4-0 lead 16:13 into the game. Four different
players scored during that span including Gattinella, Paige
Cuscovitch and Kacie Johnson.

Lafayette used a defensive caused turnover to counter attack and
get on the board with a goal by Addie Godfrey a minute and a half
later, but Johnson answered back with her second goal with just
over 10 minutes remaining in the first half.

The Leopards came alive to score four of the next five goals
including two just 17 seconds apart to make it 6-5 Columbia with
3:18 to play in the half. The Lions worked for the last shot
and Gabrielle Geronimos converted on a free position shot with
seconds remaining to give Columbia a slim 7-5 lead entering the
break.

Godfrey cut Lafayette's deficit to one with a goal 35 seconds into
the second half, but the Lions erupted for six unanswered goals
over a 12 minute span to take a commanding 13-6 lead midway through
the second stanza.

The run was started with back-to-back free position goals by Kelly
Buechel and Johnson, as well as a Sarah Avallone finish on a feed
from Geronimos all in just 1:07 of play. Gattinella struck next and
assisted goals by Johnson and Emily Kager to give Columbia its
largest lead of the game.

From there on out Lafayette peppered the Lions' defense with a
number of shots and began a late rally starting on an unassisted
goal by Jessica Rothstein with 9:54 remaining. The Leopards scored
five straight including two in the last minute of the game, but
Blank came up with a number of point blank saves to preserve the
Lions' lead.

Lafayette won 14 draws compared to Columbia's 12, outshot the Lions
32-21, and held a 23-17 advantage in ground balls. Cuscovitch
finished with a goal, three groundballs and three draw controls,
Gattinella had two goals, three assists, two groundballs and two
draws, while Johnson had a game-high seven points on four goals and
three assists. Both Kager and Avallone's goals were their first of
the season.

Columbia (2-8, 0-4 Ivy League) returns to action on Friday, April
15 when it hosts Yale for its final home game of the season.